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Somewhere in the back of their minds, there may have been a thought about game planning that wasn't what the Lions would be expecting. Maybe they thought the Lions would be planning for a running attack and thus decided to go with a passing emphasis. Probably not what happened but I have seen that before in other games. Try to catch the other team off guard by turning your back on the usual fare.

Sir Purrcival wrote: Wed Nov 09, 2022 12:55 am Somewhere in the back of their minds, there may have been a thought about game planning that wasn't what the Lions would be expecting. Maybe they thought the Lions would be planning for a running attack and thus decided to go with a passing emphasis. Probably not what happened but I have seen that before in other games. Try to catch the other team off guard by turning your back on the usual fare.

Fact is passing had been their modus operandi vs BC in previous games. They had not passed less against BC than they did on Sunday. Calgary's running stats are a bit misleading. They averaged 175 yards per game against run D sieves Edmonton and Saskatchewan and 115/game against the rest of the league. 43% of their season rushing yardage came in their 6 games against teams wearing green.

Don't get me wrong. They were to be feared but at the same time I don't think they felt they could steamroll their way to a win on the ground in a hot knife meet butter way.

My sense at that game was that Jake Maier wasn't able to get the looks downfield such that it made the Lions defensive fears lessened as the field wasn't being stretched vertically.

Check out Paul Lapolice's TSN panel segment and you'll see that the Stamp play calls didn't use a number of those they excel at.

If BC was suspect in defending it was tackling runners so that led me to like the Maier calls and play. At one point before Bo entered I was suggesting to my buddy that the fans should start yelling for Bo Levi to come in BUT we both agreed that for BC that would be worse! And it was. But too little too late.

In the end of year BLM video I posted yesterday, his take on American QBs coming here was very insightful as well as how Maier will be better for this game next year and beyond.

Meanwhile, I'd stick with Rourke over Maier IF he sticks with BC.

In the end I do believe that Rourke seems like a more thoughtful person who would not be tempted to go to the NFL next year even if healthy as I'm sure he'd do a proper analysis and not lose the opportunity to excel in Canada. I say this having no idea how this guy thinks but given his work ethic I'd guess that he'd make a good decision and not just for the money.

Sir Purrcival wrote: Wed Nov 09, 2022 12:55 am Somewhere in the back of their minds, there may have been a thought about game planning that wasn't what the Lions would be expecting. Maybe they thought the Lions would be planning for a running attack and thus decided to go with a passing emphasis. Probably not what happened but I have seen that before in other games. Try to catch the other team off guard by turning your back on the usual fare.

I think you may be right. In the second quarter, however, Stamps went to more to the run, while BC switched to the pass. Out of curiosity, I had a look at first down plays for each team over the first 3 quarters. Here's how it broke down:

In Q1, Stamps ran 6 pass and 1 run play on first down. BC ran 3 pass and 3 run. Both teams scored 3 points. Stamps likely would have scored more except they turned the ball over in field goal range on a run play.

In Q2, Stamps ran 4 run and 2 pass plays on first down. BC ran 7 pass and 2 run plays. BC outscored Stamps 10-3. BC also turned the ball over on a run play.

In Q3, Stamps ran 3 run and 3 pass plays, and BC ran 4 run a 3 pass plays. BC outscored Stamps 7-0.

Overall, Stamps ran 11 pass plays and 8 run plays on first down over 3 quarters, while BC ran 13 pass plays and 9 run plays. Basically identical. Both teams were most successful when they passed more.

MaxLion, didn't you post that Dave Dickenson said that it wasn't that he didn't call run plays but the QB audibled away from the run based on what he was seeing from the Lions? I might have read that on 3 Down Nation.

I interpreted this to mean that Dickenson a former QB gives his QBs have more freedom to audible than maybe other coaches.

What I didn't see all of the RPOs that Lapolice showed on the pre-game.

Toppy Vann wrote: Thu Nov 10, 2022 11:13 pm MaxLion, didn't you post that Dave Dickenson said that it wasn't that he didn't call run plays but the QB audibled away from the run based on what he was seeing from the Lions? I might have read that on 3 Down Nation.

I interpreted this to mean that Dickenson a former QB gives his QBs have more freedom to audible than maybe other coaches.

What I didn't see all of the RPOs that Lapolice showed on the pre-game.

I didn't see that but it makes sense and of course it would be another factor to keep in mind when evaluating the offensive game plan.